Here Are The Best 30 Pics Of 2023, As Shared By Siena International Photo Awards

Villarrica is the most active and dangerous volcano in Chile. After 7 years of dormancy, it has started showing signs of activity, prompting authorities to declare a Yellow Alert. The photo captures a stunning lenticular cloud illuminated by the glowing lava from the crater, which is now close to the surface.

Georgy Keburia says goodbye to his wife Maya and children at a train station in Odesa, Ukraine, as they board a train to Lviv on March 5, 2022. The situation in Eastern Ukraine has become extremely critical as the fighting intensifies. Hundreds of women and children who escaped cities like Mariupol, Kherson, and Mykolaiv, are trying desperately to catch a train and leave for a safe place before the violence of the war reaches the city. Meanwhile, men like Georgy must stay to fight to defend their own country and families.

A large male polar bear recharges his energy by resting in a bed he specifically made among the fireweed. The drone’s use offers an up-close glimpse of how he meticulously arranged the flowers to ensure a comfortable rest.

In the African savanna, as the dry season approaches and the grass turns yellow, lions become even more elusive, blending seamlessly into their surroundings. As Torie was tracking their footprints on the ground, she was suddenly presented with a stroke of luck: a pride of lions appeared in front of her, walking in a line and following the tire tracks.

Jose had been following and observing this stoat for several days, when he suddenly showed unusual behavior, making jumps and strange expressions. According to scientists, these displays are interpreted as a distraction technique in the face of a potential prey.

The Nenets’ way of life during winter mainly involves staying inside their traditional tent, the Chum. The tent is constructed using a conical frame made of long poles and is covered with a double layer of reindeer skins. In order to preserve the internal heat, the opening of the tent is kept as small as possible and should only be opened when necessary. However, children’s curiosity goes beyond all rules and habits.

An unusual dawn on a beach in Grand Cayman. The intensity of the dramatic stormy sky, unexpectedly tumultuous, in deep shades of purple provides a stark contrast to the calm turquoise waters flowing over the sandbank, and the serene stingray gliding past beneath.

An elephant in the African savanna tries to camouflage itself behind a bush that is too small compared to its size, in a humorous attempt to hide from the park visitors’ gaze. When it finally realized it had been discovered, it calmly walked away.

Adélie penguin chicks are cleverly avoiding predators by seeking refuge in a complex system of ice tunnels, where they huddle together for protection. Meanwhile, leopard seals lurk in the waters below, patiently waiting for their chance to snatch up any vulnerable chicks that venture too close to the edge.

A leopard catches a small impala and does the unexpected - it starts playing and cuddling with it. The scene is filled with tenderness as the leopard lovingly embraces and licks the impala before eventually dragging it up a tree to rest beside it. This remarkable story reminds us of the unpredictable and surprising moments that nature can offer.

The Indian wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf, is known for its playful and noisy behavior. However, their playful moments in the wild are becoming increasingly rare as their population is declining throughout the Indian subcontinent, to the point of being considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

A pair of orange-bellied flowerpeckers is captured in a moment of intimate feeding on the fruits of an Indonesian bay laurel tree. The composition, lighting, and frozen movement of the birds make the image truly unique.

Grant Holloway of the USA team leading the field whilst competing in the men’s 60m hurdles semi-finals during day three of the World Indoor Athletics Championships at the Stark Arena in Belgrade. He completed the run in 7.29 seconds, equalling his existing world record, and went on to win the final.

In the dry season, a leopard sneaks past two elephants in an attempt to get a drink of water. The big cat is framed between the two giants, while one of them senses its presence. Surprisingly, the animals remain unperturbed and let the predator drink in peace just a few meters away.

In nature, it is common for fish to feed on other fish to survive, but this scene captured during a dive in Anilao, Philippines, shows extraordinary determination. The young grouper had been nearly swallowed whole by a lizardfish, but with incredible effort, it managed to break free and escape just moments after the photo was taken.

Underwater life can be tough, even for sharks, constantly threatened by humans. During a dive, two expert divers were fortunately able to free a blue shark that was swimming with a rope tightly wrapped around its neck, causing deep skin lesions. The animal was then able to swim freely with the group of photographers for the rest of the dive.

On November 11, 2022, Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson from Russian occupation. In a crowded square, the crowd falls silent as President Zelensky delivers a speech. Glib, a 13-year-old boy, listens attentively in the front row: after months of fear and uncertainty, for the first time since the beginning of the war, he can finally leave his house.

Quannah Chasinghorse, a groundbreaking Indigenous model, stands tall and confident, her gaze piercing through the lens to remind viewers “whose land you’re living on”. Using her fame to support activism, Chasinghorse’s assertive presence speaks to her dedication to creating positive change and elevating the voices of marginalized communities.

In a remote atoll in French Polynesia, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a large school of surgeonfish reproduced in shallow waters just before sunset drawing in a group of sharks, present in high quantities in this area. Thanks to rigid legal protections, the marine ecosystem is teeming with life.

Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by Prince Charles, Duchess of Cambridge, and her grandchildren Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, make a striking appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as part of Trooping the Colour parade, a significant celebration marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Alicja captured this image while travelling by train through Poland with her loyal companion, Border Collie Ciri. The early spring landscape and the interplay of light and shadow through the train window, as well as the interior of the train, inspired her to create a striking monochromatic composition.

The Red Sprites are atmospheric electrical phenomena generated by powerful lightning. These phenomena can extend for tens of kilometers and are visible even from great distances (the photo was taken at a distance of almost 400 km).

An orca infiltrates a ball of herring to stun its prey with its tail. Every winter, large numbers of orcas and humpback whales are attracted to the fjords of northern Norway by huge shoals of migrating herring. Orcas work together in a strategic way to bring the herring up from the depths and gather them into a bait ball.

A brown bear climbs and relaxes on a tree branch in the depths of Yosemite Valley. Its brown silhouette stands out amidst the lush green vegetation. Its ears are perked up as if awaiting prey or an enemy.

This shot captures a poignant moment, serving as a wake-up call to remind us of the power of Nature that we’ve ignored in the name of development for too long. The feathered subject in the foreground acts as the focal point, attracting the attention of the background characters.

A young boy working in an informal coal mine in Chinarak stands outside the entrance. Hundreds of miners, including children as young as 10 and men over 60, toil every day for a few pennies. Tunnel collapses pose a constant threat to their safety.

In Umm al Quwain, every winter camel handlers take their camels into the sea for a bath. The saltwater is believed to have medicinal properties that help rid the camels of ticks, fleas, and other parasites. Despite being an age-old Arab tradition, this practice is becoming less frequent in the region due to the development of new hotels and resorts along the coastline.

Two monkeys engaged in an intimate moment caught the attention of a local family. The father is the only one not turning around, too busy taking a selfie. The candid hilariousness of the moment convinced the author to capture it.

A young Iranian Kurdish soldier is captured in her small dormitory with her hair flowing out of her veil, appearing wild and messy. This representation highlights her right to exist and breathe and serves as a reminder that civil rights should be accompanied by the freedom of expression, including art, hairdressing, and beauty.

Small goby fish is commonly found living on the intricate and delicate bodies of other animals, like this sea pen. Sea pens take feather-like shapes and have one of the most intricate body ornaments among all marine animals.